LeBron joins 76ers: Maxey bond, Embiid title chase — SkimNews
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- LeBron James signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers in July, saying on his "Mind the Game" podcast with Steve Nash that "Philly was not even a question" once the team traded for Jaylen Brown.
- Tyrese Maxey was one of the first people to call James after he told the Lakers he wouldn't return; James and Maxey share an agent and have been workout partners since Maxey entered the league, turning a friendship into a recruiting pitch.
- Joel Embiid has won an NBA MVP, two scoring titles and an Olympic gold medal but has never led Philadelphia past the second round since being drafted third overall in 2014, and James said he wants to be "that final little piece that can help him get over the hump."
- Jaylen Brown, acquired by the Sixers from the Boston Celtics, was praised by James for having his own voice: "any time someone moves to their own beat, it makes someone uncomfortable."
- LeBron James, 41, said he is "more in love with the pursuit of how much more can I defy the odds," and pointed to feeling physically and mentally strong in offseason workouts after initially writing on social media that he felt "done" when his 23rd season ended.
- LeBron James spent eight seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers — the longest continuous stint with one team in his career — winning the 2020 championship without a parade due to the pandemic, and teamed with son Bronny James for the past two seasons in an NBA first.
- The Sixers went 45-37 last season and were swept in the second round by the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks; James is scheduled to meet reporters Monday at media day in Camden, New Jersey.
- LeBron James is a four-time MVP, four-time Finals MVP, 22-time All-Star and 21-time All-NBA selection coming off a season of 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game.
Why it matters: At 41 and already the NBA's career scoring leader, James is taking $8 million — well below his market value — to chase a fifth ring with a Philadelphia team that has not won a title since 1983 and has never gotten Embiid past the second round. If the Sixers' bet on pairing James with Embiid and new acquisition Jaylen Brown pays off, it would be the most unlikely late-career championship run of his two-decade career; if it doesn't, the move shortens Philadelphia's title window without delivering.
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